Article

Fabregas applauds L´Hospitalet fight

L'Hospitalet, a team from the Spanish third tier, threatened Barcelona's defence on a number of occasions while also looking strong at the back as they managed to restrict their opponents to a solitary Andres Iniesta goal.

"They made life difficult for us with their approach. It was a very competitive game," Fabregas told Barcelona's official website.

"Our ambitions are pretty clear. What we want is to go far in all competitions. To do that we have to deliver the goods in difficult conditions, too."

"Hospitalet are a very strong and aggressive team. They closed their defensive lines well and it was difficult to create chances. However, we did manage to control the game."

Barcelona host Hospitalet on December 21 in the second leg of the tie.

Article

Copa del Rey: L´Hospitalet 0 Barcelona 1

10 November 2011 01:18

Barcelona managed a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Copa del Rey fourth-round tie against neighbours L'Hospitalet on Wednesday.

Barca made the short trip to L'Hospitalet, just outside the Catalan capital, in a match rescheduled due to the Champions League winners' participation in the FIFA Club World Cup in December.

With the second leg at Camp Nou coming just three days after the Club World Cup final in Japan, Barca coach Pep Guardiola stressed the importance of taking an advantage into the return fixture.

The heavyweight visitors' cause was not helped by absence of several stars due to this week's international matches, with Lionel Messi, Alexis Sanchez, Dani Alves and Adriano all unavailable.

However, Barca's Spain internationals were given special dispensation to start in this match ahead of the friendly against England at Wembley on Saturday.

And it was the latter who netted the winner for Barca, blasting home a powerful drive from outside the box two minutes before half-time.

Before that, a Villa effort hit the target early on and midfielder Seydou Keita twice threatened for the visitors.

Iniesta was replaced by Sergio Busquets after 62 minutes.

Moments later, their international team-mate Cesc Fabregas failed to convert after he was set up beautifully by Keita.

Barca were still dominating late on, with Villa forcing L'Hospitalet goalkeeper Jose Sanchez Moragon into a fine save from a free-kick after 76 minutes.

At the other end, Barca's second-choice goalkeeper Jose Pinto was called into action to deny Aday Benitez.

Villa was again thwarted by Moragon right at the end as Barcelona secured a narrow advantage to take into the return leg, scheduled for December 21.

Article

Barca opponents support Movember

9 November 2011 14:56

L'Hospitalet players will be sporting moustaches in support of Movember, when they tackle Barcelona in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.

Their final-32 first leg clash at the Estadio Municipal Feixa Llarga will see the Segunda Division B players show their support for the men's health charity, raising funds for prostate cancer.

"It's a fun way for people to get to know the types of cancer specific to men," L'Hospitalet midfielder Ruben Garcia Arnal told ABC.

"And we would like people to raise money for the investigation of prostate cancer by letting their moustache grow."

According to Movember Spain, 5,900 men die from prostate cancer every year across the country.

Article

Abidal available for Barca, France

8 November 2011 13:42

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal is available for his side's Copa del Rey clash on Wednesday, despite international duty calling.

Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola will be able to use left-back Abidal against L'Hospitalet, despite his inclusion in the France squad for Friday's international friendly at home to the USA.

The 32-year-old was due to join up with his national side on Tuesday, but Guardiola approached France coach Laurent Blanc to ask permission to play Abidal in Wednesday's match away at the Estadio Municipal Feixa Llarga.

Blanc eventually agreed to the request, which has been confirmed on the official France Football Federation (FFF) website, and the former Lyon star will now travel to Paris on Thursday.

Barcelona made it to the final of the Cup competition last season, but Real Madrid claimed the title with a 1-0 extra-time win.